Manuh Global Pathways Pilot Midway!

“The real crisis in the creative industry isn’t AI—it’s a broken talent pipeline.” – Design Week (2024)

In a recent article, Design Week argued that the greatest challenge facing the creative sector isn’t emerging tech—it’s systemic exclusion. As underfunded education and outdated structures continue to limit access for new talent, especially from underrepresented regions, the gap between potential and opportunity grows. Unless this pipeline is repaired, innovation will remain exclusionary—and the industry risks missing out on the very voices who could shape its future.

At Manuh Studio, we see this gap not as a barrier, but as a call to reimagine how creative ecosystems are built—with care, context, and community at the centre.

Manuh Global Pathways 2025 Pilot: Midway Milestone

The 2025 pilot of Manuh Global Pathways (MGP)—our flagship fellowship programme under Manuh Studio CIC—has now reached its midway point. We celebrate this milestone by honouring the meaningful contributions of our first fellow, Sneka P, whose work has helped shape the heart of our brand and creative impact.

An avatar of Sneka, our inaugural collaborator shaping Manuh’s visual identity.

Sneka’s fellowship centred around evolving Manuh’s visual identity—a process that was both exploratory and grounded. The result? A refined, typographic logo and design language that embodies cultural specificity, creative clarity, and narrative depth.

With Sneka’s fellowship now completed, we’re excited to welcome our next collaborator, Dimbeswar, who will continue developing the pilot’s goals.

Highlights from the Logo Journey:

• Transitioned from abstract symbols to a minimalist, typographic monogram—a wiped “M” over “C” symbolising emergence, invisibility, and cultural rootedness.

• Selected teal and terracotta as primary colours—evoking earthiness and vibrancy, connecting digital presence with tangible heritage.

• The design uses typography and negative space to embody values of care, equity, and global dialogue. The wiped monogram hints at invisible histories and emergent futures beneath a minimalist exterior. It conveys a thoughtful, interconnected collective balancing global perspective with grounded identity.

• Focused on modularity and scalability, ensuring the identity adapts across print and digital spaces.

• Practised a co-creation process, balancing fellow insights, founder vision, and community context.

This work wasn’t just about designing a logo—it was about co-creating a brand system through participatory design, grounded in collaboration, inclusion, and the creative leadership of the Global South.

Highlights from the Website Audit:

• Provided a strategic roadmap under the founder’s guidance, focusing on key digital improvements such as optimized CTAs, SEO and accessibility enhancements, newsletter integration, and trust signals.

• Recommended clear onboarding flows and navigation redesign through sitemap and wireframe planning; the founder’s internal team will prioritize, test (including A/B testing), troubleshoot, and implement changes to ensure optimal performance, supporting the long-term vision of a scalable, user-focused platform driving impact and engagement.

A Values-Driven Model of Collaboration

This midpoint reflects the core of Manuh’s approach: A relational, participatory, and mentorship-driven model that:

• Offers micro-stipends aligned with fair, contextual compensation

• Centres capacity-building, not just deliverables

• Nurtures long-term pathways from fellow to affiliate consultant

• Prioritises equity, access, and dialogue

"The intent was never to treat this fellowship as a CSR footnote. From day one, it was about embedding creative leadership at the centre of Manuh’s strategy and identity." — Priyanka Saharia, Founder

We believe that impact is not an accessory—it is the strategy. Our model resists extractive design cultures and instead builds toward a distributed, just, and inclusive future, where voices from the Global South aren’t invited to the table—they help shape it.

Pilot Learnings from the Field

Here are some reflections from the pilot so far:

• Structure matters: Even lean fellowships need regular check-ins, clarity, and scheduling.

• Clear briefs = smoother collaboration: Transparency from the start fosters alignment and ease.

• Mentorship is iterative: Real growth happens over time—with feedback, trust, and dialogue.

• Process > product: It’s not just what’s made, but how it’s made—and who gets to lead.

• Equitable pay builds trust: Even modest, context-aware stipends go a long way in signalling value and inclusion.

What’s Next?

As Manuh Global Pathways moves forward, this pilot lays the groundwork for scaling:

• Expanding to 3–5 fellows per cycle

• Building a replicable model for remote, cross-cultural collaboration

• Structuring growth through Manuh Studio CIC, where community is a stakeholder—not just a recipient

We hope this contributes to a growing prototype of what creative leadership can become — inclusive, decentralised, globally aware, and grounded in care and impact.

Why This Matters

Too often, creative labour from the Global South is treated as supplementary. At Manuh, we believe it is foundational. Our fellowship is a small but radical step in demonstrating that inclusive ecosystems are not a nice-to-have—they’re a necessity for ethical, innovative futures.

As we continue into the next phase, we carry forward one core principle: Creative futures must be rooted in justice, built through relationships, and designed with care.

Watch the video below for a recap of what we’ve learned so far — including key moments, insights, and reflections from the pilot phase.

Explore more about the MGP 2025 pilot’s vision, aims, and live updates here.